KEVIN O’SULLIVAN FROM BAKEWELL SENTENCED FOR CHILD PORNOGRAPHY AND INVASION OF PRIVACY

In a disturbing case that has shocked the community of Bakewell, Derbyshire, Kevin O’Sullivan, a family general practitioner, was sentenced to a year in prison after being found guilty of heinous crimes involving the invasion of children's privacy and possession of indecent images.

O’Sullivan, a divorced father of two, was caught secretly filming children and their parents at a local swimming pool during the summer of the previous year. He had installed a hidden video camera in the changing room of the leisure centre, with the intent to record individuals undressing. His actions came to light when staff at the pool discovered the device and played back the footage, which revealed footage of children and their families in vulnerable moments.

Fearing that he might be caught, O’Sullivan attempted to cover his tracks by offering a stranger fifty pounds to retrieve a bag containing the recording equipment. However, the plan was foiled when the staff at the pool, upon discovering the camera, immediately contacted the police. An investigation was launched, and law enforcement officers set up a sting operation to identify the person responsible for the recordings.

Eventually, the police traced the anonymous pick-up man to O’Sullivan through a phonebook, leading to his arrest. During a subsequent search of his residence on Yeld Road in Bakewell, authorities uncovered a disturbing collection of evidence. They found 193 child-pornographic images stored on his computer, alongside hidden spy cameras installed around his house—one focused on his bedroom and another on the bathroom, indicating a pattern of invasive and illegal surveillance.

At an earlier court hearing, O’Sullivan pleaded guilty to multiple charges, including taking indecent photographs and possessing indecent images of children on his computer. Additionally, police discovered that he possessed diamorphine, with enough of the drug to fill 49 syringes, during the search of his home. The magistrates in Chesterfield were informed of these findings, which painted a picture of a man engaged in serious criminal activity.

District Judge John Friel sentenced O’Sullivan to a year in prison and ordered him to register as a sex offender for ten years. The judge described his actions as “a quite chilling invasion of privacy,” emphasizing the severity of the breach of trust and the harm caused to the victims and their families.

Following his arrest, O’Sullivan was suspended from his position at the Jessop Medical Practice in Riddings. His career in medicine was effectively ended, with the court and the medical community acknowledging that his prospects of returning to practice as a GP were now virtually impossible. His defense attorney, Ian Giggal, expressed regret over the damage done to his client’s career, stating that O’Sullivan, once a dedicated and hardworking doctor, had lost everything due to these criminal proceedings.

During the court proceedings, O’Sullivan was asked why he had set up the hidden camera in the changing room. His response was simply, “To see if it was possible,” revealing a disturbing curiosity that led to his downfall. The victims’ families, who were recorded on a brief three-minute tape, expressed their distress and concern over the potential circulation of the footage on the internet, highlighting the ongoing threat posed by such crimes.

O’Sullivan’s defense also requested that his identity be protected, citing concerns over his mental health, as he had threatened self-harm and attempted suicide following his arrest. However, the district judge rejected this request, stating that there was no reason to shield his identity, a decision supported by police officials who emphasized the importance of transparency and public awareness.

Chief Inspector Richard Gooch commented on the case, warning that if the court had ordered O’Sullivan to remain unnamed, it could have set a dangerous precedent. He stressed that public identification was crucial for community safety and for encouraging victims or witnesses to come forward with information about any past inappropriate behavior.

In a statement issued after the sentencing, Wendy Lawrence, the chief executive of Amber Valley Primary Care Trust, expressed support for the court’s decision. She clarified that there was no indication of O’Sullivan’s misconduct during his professional duties as a GP. Once the allegations surfaced, the Trust promptly suspended him and took steps to disqualify him from practicing medicine, ensuring that he could no longer serve as a healthcare professional in the community.